Grader



C. J. CLEAR.

GRADER,

APPLICATlON FILED NOV-11,1919

Patented Aug. 29, 192;.

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0. J. CLEAR.

GRADER.

APPLICA'UON HLED NOV- H, I9l9.

Patented Aug. 29, 1922.

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' embodiment, the middle portion w s vw- W 3 It; in} lfi i Sill i i llGEADER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ari 25%),i922.

Application filed. November 11, 1919. Serial No. 337,298.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that Cnannns J. CLEAR, a citizenof the United States of America, a resident of Vancouver, in the countyof Clarke, in the State of dD-ishington, has invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Graders, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accog iianying drawings.

y invention relates to machines for grading articles by size, and hasfor its object the production of. an improved machine for sorting: andselectively separating a variety of articles according to uniformity ofsize.

My invention is particularly designed and adapted for the grading ofdelicate fruits and vegetables whose surfaces abrasion might damage, andespecially of objects of irregular shape, for example, pears, lemons,cucumbers and carrots, which, by reason or theirirregularity of shape,resist the usual methods of selective separation.

il hat constitutes my invention will be hereinafter specified in detailand succinctly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is a top plan view of my invention complete in presentpreferred form oi thereof being broken out for the accommodation of thescale to which the drawing is made.

Figure ll is a side elevation ofthe subject matter ot Figure I lookingtowards the main drive-pulley of the machine.

Figure ill is a transverse section on an enlarged scale of the travelingbelts shown in the previous figures and illustrative of their relativeoperative disposition toward ea h other and in respect to theirlongitudinal guides and supporters.

F U is a section on the line lV-lV of Figure ll.

Figure V is a detail view in transverse section on enlarged scale of mymachine showing a fruit 'pocket in section, the dis charge chute thereofbeing shown open in full lines, and closed in dotted lines.

Figure Vl is a front view of the subject matter otFigure V.

Figure Vll is a top plan ject matter of Figure V.

l igiirevllli is a composite detail view oi one of the sorting beltpulleys and a sec tion of belt thereon detached.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, 1 in dcaies'a frameconsisting prefer view of the subassemblage and 20 upon the shaft 5. The

diameter one with another.

ably of an oblong rectangular structure, but constituting in effect asingle or composite structure, of any suitable configuration and ofparts and which may be made of wood or metal as preferred. The framepreferably comprises supporting members 2 and 3 disposed in pairs,respectively, towards its opposite ends. The paired members 2 carry, insuitable bearings 4 provided thereon, a shaft, 5. In like manner, and onthe same level with shaft 5, as in bearings 6 and 7, respectively, thepaired members 3 carry two parallel shafts 9' and 10 which are gearedtogether as by sprocket wheels ll and 12 andan intermeshing sprocketbelt 13. To the shaft 10 is secured at one end a main driving pulley 15that is operatively connected as by a belt 16 with a source of power notillustrated.

To the shaft 9 is secured a belt pulley and to the1shait 10 is secured a18. in line with the pulleys 17 are loose pulleys 19 pulleys, 1'? to 20inclusive, preferably correspond in About the pulleys 1'4" and 19 istautly passed an endless conveyor belt 23, having a fiat smooth work ingface, and about the pulleys l8 and 20 is, in like manner, disposed acorresponding belt 24. The pulleys 17 and 18 are spaced at greaterdistance apart than the pulleys l9and 20. Consequently, there is agradual divergence provided between the respective belts in theirstretches from the pulleys l9 and 20 towards the pulleys l7 and 18,respectively.

1'? pulley and 18, respectively,

The shafts 9 and 10 be if preferredv driven at the same or slightlyvariant speeds, as preferred, in order to impart the same or variantspeeds to the belts 23 and 24.

Adjacent to guide rollers 25 and 26, carried, respectively, in openclevis-like frames 27 and 28, fixed adjustably, if desired, to the frame1, as upon stringers 29 and 30 provided for them. in like manner,adjacent to the pulleys l? and 18, C(HI'GSPOIKllHg guide rollers 31 and32- are provided. The respective pairs of guide rollers 25 and 26, and31 and 32, are obliquely disposed towards each other, as shown in FigureIV so as to impart to their respective belts 23 and 24 in passing underthem a uniform angle of disposition relatively to each other, as isclearly shown in Figure 111. By inclination of the surfaces belt the'iulleys l9 and 20 are can of the pulleys l7 and 18 towards each other,and likewise of the pulleys l9 and 2\), the relative angular dispositionof the belts 23- and 24 may be directly obtained without the necessityof guide rolls but this is a mere mechanical detail. It is, however,essential that the vertical convergence of the belts shall conform to asufficiently small angle to insure to each article a transverselytraversable course between the working faces of the belts before itsfinal selective point of discharge.

In order to stiffen the belts and maintain their flat Working faces inuniform regularity of angular disposition "towards oar-h other betweenthe ZQSI'XECllVQ rollers and 31-32, last above specified, l nrovivleagainst the backs of the belts, in their respective upper stretches,longitudinally disposed flat supporting plates 35. eucli of which isfixedly supported upon the frame 1, and extends substantially ine fulllength of each stretch of belt between its respective guide rollers. lithe length of the plates 35 should require it. as it usunll does,supporting members 36 for said plates may be provided al intervals uponthe frame 1. Upon the opposing faces of the plates 35 are providedlongitudinal guide plates 37 and 35 spaced and shaped to eccommodatebetween them guide lauttons 39 fixed to the backs of the respectivebelts 23 and 24, the pulleys lT Q heing suitably split or channeled "Fortheir ac.onimoontion. for example. as indicated at l0 in l' ig-ure l'lll. The buttons 39 serve to hold the respective hells snugly injuxtaposition againstthe faces of their respective guide plates 37 and38.

in consequence o? the angle of ergence otel e stretches of the belts 23and iriun their. respective pulleys l9 11ml 2 anrl that of theirvertical downward convergence. as shown in Figure ill, said beltscooperate to effect the sorting function oi the machine in the mannerexplained in the iollowing paragraph.

The longitudinal (livergez'ice of the hells 23 and a necessary featureof my machine and it must every gradual, but may be somewhat Varied at'discretion. it is the angle of vertical downward convergence oflongituciinally divergent, movable hell's that rlistinguishes myinvention from what is old in the m. in respect to the SOi'llllfjjfunction of the machine. As between the belts and the vertical and. thehorizontal conseitute the extreme theoretical limits within which theirrelative disposition may he eii eeted. Pint, if bot-h belts are locelerleither in horizontal planes or in vertical planes, there will he novertical eonvergrenee between them, though they still he lo itudinallydivergent and may sti l one his in fsshiones sorting elements. .I

relatively disposed at a Wll angle. ninety (legrees they will constitulein. one

nothing more than fiat divergent belts ii-r ridecl with a trough tendingto hold hemveen them articles to be sorted ancl prevent the spilling ofthe same over the SKlQS of belts. trough-like efl'ect is all lliatshownin the prior art. but my invention is differentiated therefrom byprorirlin I l i'znctionally effective transverse extend the two beltsand by disposing them. rela-' tivelv towards each other at an acute Bymain means an article may he can suspended by the belts oetween jacentto their upper edges whe" travel between their: in a oblique directionin order to .l tion from confinement hy the l;- s

. is during its period of travel along this oblique line between thebelts that (he articl is as made to respond to the action of y, with theeffect of h "lug imparted 1; delicate halano between opposite pointssuspension. Such method of susp nsion is available for the sorting ofall an *ies. and;

is essential to the sorting of articles of irregular shape, like a pearfor example. it the same time, during the selec ive opera tion *hemovement or the hers I spurts to each ar icle a slight rolling motiabout its vertical axis that adjusts es i article towards that delicatedegree of iau'is 'iension between the belts that neoessai i to lieliberatimi therefrom by era a saifi, with that suhstantial nc: cisionwhich the object o l n l ands. To the end shove spel'ed into themachinehv an ass for example. upon a hran her 4-1 that travels overrepresented by one pulley between l e rails at point at. Which the beltc eels Q3 and 24: is provided. a seems i. prererelilv consisting of scurve-cl extension ol 'l si le rail 4? across anrl shove 521. so that bythe movement or in the direction of the arrows shoe in Figure l, thefruit is srnooth i' a gentle motion carries it tween the lower edge 3"1. t iron iru.

sized. object ester 01" j :3 (\7- I all (L.- /(LA. I

1 indn ideal by a s; m'i'iv-xeroly convergent opposing;

hells one. it is 1 nelrlhetween them only Ste rontact points 459 and55'. ill:

pear-sluioecl.,. es inrlic menace I Figure In, the contact points 49 and50 constitute an axis of suspension therefor between the faces 23 and 24that is disposed transversely to the fruit and toward its larger end.Consequently its preponderant weight causes the stem-end 51 of the fruitto swing downwardly upon the axis 49-50 substantially to the verticalposition as shown in Figure H1. Because the opposing faces of the belts23 and 24 gradually diverge in a horizontal angle from the point offruit intake, the axis 4-9-50 is permitted thereby gradually to slidedownwardly and obliquely along the convergent smooth working faces ofsaid belts until a point is reached in the travel of the belts at whichthe length of said axis approximates something less than the distancebetween the points 46 and 47, when the fruit, by its own weight, dropsfrom between the belts 23 and 24 to the receptacles provided below thesame for its reception.

Because of the fact that a pear is, by

reason of its peculiar shape, found most difiicult of selectiveseparation according to size, the pear is employed by way of ex-- amplein the foregoing description and in the accompanying drawings. A.tapered vegetable like a carrot is in effect pear shaped. In respect toan oblong object. such as a cucumber, for instance, instead of one axisof suspension indicated by 49-50 in Figure Ill of the drawings, theremay be, and generally is, a plurality of axes of suspension between thefaces of the belts 23 and 24. Consequently, while there would, in suchcase, be a dropping of the preponderant end of the object between thebelts 23 and 24, the object would not immediately reach a verticalposition. lfthe belts or conveyors 23 and 24 be driven at slightlydifferent speeds, the result would tend to effect longitudinal alignmentof articles interposedbetwecn them, but even when they travel at thesame rate of speed, the drop from the belt 41 to the movin andlongitudinally divergent belts 23 an 24 appears to be generally allsuihcient to accomplish the desired alignment. In other respects theprinciple of selective separation is substantially the same as thatalready described.

For the reception of the graded fruit. I prefer to provide, at. a shortdistance immediately below the belts 23 and 24 a longitudinally disposedrow or series of pockets 52, 53, 54 and 55, the number of pockets beingindefinite and determinable by the work which the machine is to do.-Each of the pockets is preferably inclined and has a bottom 56 made, forexample, of canvas or other yielding material to catch the fruit withoutbruising it. Each pocket terminates in a discharge-chute 57 that ispreferably hinged, as indicated at 58, to an upright of the frame 1, andwhich may be raised and lowered at will. When raised, it may be seecuredin the pocket-closing position as b latch mechanism of any suitabledescription, for example that indicated in the drawing by the numeral60. The dischargeehute 57 serves as a means for confining fruit droppedinto its respective pocket until such time as the extent of accumulationtherein.

demands discharge. For convenience of such discharge, I prefer toprovide below the several discharge-chutes that extends the collectivelength of ail the pockets and is adapted to support, for each pocketindividually, a pan or other receptacle for the fruit discharge of itsrespective ppcket. it is important in sorting delicate articles to makethe chute 57 long enough to reach. when open, substantially to thebottom of the receptacle into which it die charges, so that the contentsof the chute may roll or slip into the receptacle without any drop orbruising impact.

In view of such ready been given, the operation of my machine may bebriefly described in the following language. By power communicatedthrough the belt 16 the pulley 15 imparts rotative motion to both theshafts g and 10 which causes the belts 23 and 24 to travel in onedirection. For such traits as pears that are suspended between them on asingle axis, it is best that the belts 23 and 2% travel at equal ratesof speed. but with oblong fruits like cucumbers. suspended from aplurality of axes. there may be an aligning advantage in causing thebelts to travel at slightly ditierent rates of speed. it now the belt4-1 be in operation in the direction of the arrows applied to it inFigure Land fruit, for example, be supplied thereto. the fruit will bedeposited one by one in the manner already described,between thetraveling belts 23 and 24-, through the action of the sweeper 45. Thesmallest fruit will, in accordance "r with the principle of operationhereinbel'orc specified. drop by gravity at once into the pocket 52. Anext larger sizefalls into the pocket 53, and so on until the lastpocket. indicated in. the drawings by tbennmeral 55, is reached. Somepockets will Fillmore rapidlythan others, according to the run of fruitin point oi size. but all the fruit will be taken care of in theirrespective pockets until, as each pocket becomes tilled, theaccumulation of fruit therein is drawn byt' an attendant throughmanipulation. of its discharge-chute 57 in the manner specified. Theaccumulation of the fruit in the several pockets is always gradual, sothat the atten- .M

tion of a single attendant is suihcient for the proper care andmanipulation of the machine. 1

it is found in use that my machine may be relied upon to perform theselective func- 57 a bench 61 description as has alties required of it,and to deposit even peers, which require the most delicate handling,Without danger of bruising the fruit in the slightest degree. itsutility, however,

5 is limited to the sorting of pears, nor

e of fruits and vegetables, such as.

ve arrots, cucumber, lemons, etc, but may be est ended to the sorting ofany objects which differ in site one from another.

0 l t hat I claim is:

l. in a machine for grading articles by size, the combination withdriving mechanism, of 22 pair oi fiat, endless belts having cooperativelongitudinally divergent and transverseiy downwardly convergent Workingtacos. and means (lli'$})().ll against the her of each belt so wholly tosupport its woiiting in true cooperative relationship to the other belt.26.- 2. a machine for grading articles by tine combination with drivingmechanisin, oi. a pair of longitudinal divergent flat, endless belts,each having only a single article-ere *ig face. and both of said lnivinginoctionaliy eliicient transve sorting convergence one tovards theother.

-5. in a machine for grading articles by the combination. with drivingmechaor a pair of flat'endless belts having sn'iooth working facesangularly disone towards the other, and supportoperetively disposedagainst the 1 i Y i i 7 .l i melts or said belts. respectively, tostilien port and nntintain them in position.

a machine for grading articles by combination with driving mechamir oibelts having fiat working l disposed one towards the c snowed backingplates for each belt, on buttons on the hack of each belt, workin thegroove oi its respective plate.

5. lln. a, machine for grading articles by size, the cmnbination withdriving mechak and :1 pair of bolts adapted in operat ialre selection ofarticles. of a series inclined pockets operatively dissaid belts andadapted to rective discharge of articles each pocket being provided withattached discharge-chute. and .,r operatively eti'ecting, at will, a ngor a discharging position with re- 0 each ol'iute.

bins for grad comoinsfticn with nism, and a pair of belts adapted inoperation to make selection of articles. of a series of yielding pocketsoperatively disposed be low said belts and adapted to receive theselective discharge of articles therefrom, each pocket being providedwith a flexibly attached discharge-chute terminating within close reachof a receptacle for graded articles. and operative means for lifting orfor lowering each discharge chute.

7. Ina machine for. grading articles by size, the combination withdriving mechanism, of a pair of longitudinally divergent, flat, endlessbelts. and guide rollers for each belt. said guide rollers constitutingmeans for holding and directing the belts in vertically convergentplanes between the points of supply and discharge.

8. In a machine for grading articles by size, the combination withdriving mechanism, of a pair of longitudinally divergent, flat, endlessbelts having smooth working faces held in cooperative, angulardisposition one towards the other by means of guide rollers providedtherefor, and correspondingly downwardly convergent supporting platesoperatively disposed against thebaclrs of said belts, respectively, tosupport and maintain them in cooperative positions.

9. In a machine for grading articles by size, the combination withdriving mechanism, and a pair of selectively disposed belts, of a seriesof yielding inclined pockets operatively disposed below said belts andadapted to receive the selective discharge oi articles therefrom, eachpocket terminating in a flexibly attached dischargechute, and means forfixedly adjusting said chute in either or" two operatively effectivepositions.

10. In a machine for grading articles by size, the combination withdriving mechanism, of a pair of single faced smooth surfaced endlessbelts having portions thereof disposed longitudinally in complen'ientarydivergent relationship, said portions being uniformly disposed indownwardly convergent planes, the angle of Whose convergence isfunctionally ellicient for the suspension of articles between them.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnemes.

CHARLES J. CLEAR. Witnesses:

Josnrn L. ATKINS, LEICESTER B. Arrows.

